![]() "He was funny, pragmatic, prudent and thoughtful he enjoyed reading and was extremely articulate. "He would walk around the White House and pop his head into various offices just to see what was going on," said Doctor Fenn. His personal description of him was unlike anything you could conceptualize from a movie or book. There were no 'staff meetings' no one had the nerve to call them staff meetings."ĭoctor Fenn recalled President Kennedy as being very much the same around the office as he was in press conferences - very focused and optimistic. There was no staff structure and the president was his own chief of staff. "I was one of 25 guys on the White House staff - compared to the 2,000 staffers they have now," he said. With Doctor Fenn's employment, the first White House personnel office was created. that's when I became his permanent talent search." "The White House wanted to hire me to help Kennedy find people for presidential appointments. ![]() "I was still working at Harvard when I got the phone call," said Doctor Fenn. It was shortly after working the Wisconsin primary presidential election in 1960 that Doctor Fenn was being called to the White House. Doctor Fenn also worked with him during his second term as a congressman from Massachusetts in 1950, and then again for his re-election to Senate in 1958. Working as a White House staffer was not the first time Doctor Fenn was associated with President Kennedy. In 1961, he spent time as a special assistant to Senator Benjamin Smith of Massachusetts before becoming a staff assistant to President Kennedy. Following his discharge, he was appointed assistant dean of freshman at Harvard. "I want to get them thinking about the overall picture and be able to contrast today's white house with my time there."Īfter graduating from Harvard College in 1944, Doctor Fenn served two-and-a-half years for the Army Air Corps during World War II. "I hope to open up a few questions in the listener's minds as to the role of the White House and the president's scene," said Doctor Fenn in regards to his lecture. His behind-the-scenes narratives as a staff assistant to President John Kennedy invited listeners to envision the White House environment during his employment there. 6 during an open lecture at the Charleston Club. Dan Fenn, educator and community leader, enlightened Charleston AFB Sept. Team Charleston had the rare opportunity to hear from a man who witnessed history first-hand as a trusted advisor to the Kennedy Administration.ĭr.
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